A Christmas Prayer
by Saphire Ravven8
Summary: A fierce attack leaves Clark mortally wounded and unable to heal himself. Will he survive? CLANA. I'm not sure if my rating is proper, if not, please don't report me, just let me know so I can fix it myself. Thanks.
1. Default Chapter

Title: A Christmas Prayer

Disclaimer: I own nothing...I'm just messing with them. I'll put 'em back when I'm done.

A/N: WHOO! My first Smallville fic! CLANA, hehe...  
  
CH 1 Secrets  
Clark slumped into the darkest corner he could find, pulled his legs up tight against his chest and put his head on his knees. He took a few deep, steadying breaths, trying to remind himself that his father was the strongest man he knew and that he would be okay. The surgery tomorrow would go fine, that he was in good, capable hands. Clark rubbed a hand over his eyes, noticing how his hands shook. He laid his face in hands, deep in thought; he never heard the footsteps coming up behind him.  
"Clark?" Lana's gentle voice jolted him from his thoughts. "I didn't mean to startle you," She apologized.  
"It's okay," Clark replied distantly, his voice shook with repressed emotions.  
"Are you okay?" Lana asked softy, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.  
"Yeah," Clark stated automatically, though his tone said otherwise. "Yeah, I'm fine." Lana caught his hand in her own as he reached to rub at his tired eyes again.  
"Clark, you don't have to lie, I can tell you're upset. You can talk to me, you know that."  
"It's just..." He couldn't say it, his throat felt tight. But he didn't have to, Lana knew. Somehow she always knew.  
"Your dad," She finished for him. "Clark, he'll be okay. Your dad is tough and he's incredibly healthy, he'll be alright."  
"I know that. I know that, it's just that... if he died...I," He paused and looked at Lana with so much pain and sorrow and turmoil in his dark eyes that Lana's heart reached out to him. "I need him Lana." Clark finished in little more than a whisper.  
Lana pulled him into a tight hug, feeling him shaking against her. She hushed him gently as he shed silent tears, a few of which fell upon her shirt, making small wet spots. "He'll be okay, Clark. Everything will be okay." She said soothingly, rocking him gently in her arms. He pulled away gently and looked into her eyes.  
"Thanks," he murmured.

"Any time," she replied. She looked at him with a concerned expression on her face. "Clark, when was the last time you got any sleep?" She rubbed her thumbs along the baggy skin beneath his eyes.  
"I... I don't know. Two... maybe three nights ago," he said uncertainly.

"Clark!" She cried out softly. "No wonder your hands are shaking! You have to get some sleep." The warning bell rang for class, Lana stood and reached out a hand and helped Clark up. "Promise me you'll try and get some sleep tonight."  
"I'll try, I promise."  
"Okay, and if you need to talk again, just let me know. I'll be there."  
Clark nodded and watched as she quickly walked down the hallway to class. Clark sighed, took a deep, shuddering breath and walked to class.  
  
"Welcome home, dad." Clark said cheerfully, opening the door for John Kent.  
"I guarantee we have better food than the hospital." Martha Kent added, leading her husband to the couch where he sank down upon the cushions gratefully.  
"That's good," John stated. "I need some real food, that stuff they feed you in hospitals can't be FDA approved as food." They laughed, none could stop smiling. Even after the incident with the kryptonite bomb, the surgery had gone off well, and now, after a couple of weeks in recovery Clark's father was back home, safe and healthy and Clark thanked God every day that he still had his father.

August 6, 2004  
  
Lana blew gently on the cup of tea in her hands; she smiled at Mrs. Kent gratefully. "Thanks for having me for dinner Mrs. Kent."  
"Oh it's no problem Lana, we were happy to have you. It's been awhile since you've had time to stay for dinner. I missed your company, you know, being the only woman in this house. It's nice to have another girl mixed in with all this testosterone." Mrs. Kent said, Lana smiled and laughed.  
"I bet," She giggled. She glanced at Clark and smiled; he smirked and scratched the back of his neck embarrassedly.  
"Why don't you kids go into the living room and John and I'll clean up."  
"I can help, Mrs. Kent," Lana said.  
"Nonsense, you're our guest. You and Clark go ahead." Martha shooed them out of the kitchen and into the small sitting room.  
"I've missed seeing her around." John said quietly.  
"Me too," Martha replied. She glanced over at the two teens in the living room. "But somehow I have a feeling she'll be coming around a lot more often. It looks like she and Clark have finally worked things out."  
"I'm glad," John said, wrapping his arms around his wife from behind. "Do you recognize that look Clark gives Lana?"  
"Mmhmm," she murmured, leaning against him. "It's the same look you give me."  
"He's in love."  
"Yes, he is. And he's got it bad." John's eyes widened suddenly, "You don't think he'll tell her do you?"  
"He wouldn't!" She exclaimed, and then paused. "Would he?" Their eyes met and widened and they half ran into the living room.  
  
"Lana, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while now. And I don't want you to freak out, because it's the truth." He looked at her closely, his eyes wide and honest.  
Okay," Lana said, giggling a bit, thinking he was being over- dramatic.  
"Lana I..." His words were cut off by his parents' quick entrance into the room.  
"Clark! Something's come up." His father said rapidly, grabbing his arm and hauling Clark up off the couch.  
"Well, do you really need me to come along?" He asked.  
"Yes, it's kind of an emergency." His mother replied, looking at him pointedly and emphasizing the word emergency.  
"Oh right," Clark said, taking Lana's hand and pulling her up. "We'll finish this later, okay?"  
"Okay," Lana agreed, looking kind of confused.  
Clark walked her to the door and, after a moments' hesitation, kissed her gently. Lana pulled away, biting her lower lip and her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. "Bye," she murmured, opening the door. She and the family headed out the door, the Kents walking swiftly to the car, keeping up their 'emergency' façade and Lana moving towards her pick-up truck. Clark grabbed her arm, turned her, kissed her again, then followed his family to the car with a quiet good-bye.  
"Bye," she whispered again, and somehow she knew that Clark heard her.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: Last time I posted this it was a one-shot. But now I wanna leave you in suspense. Don't you love me? Mwa ha ha! Saph


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing, please don't sue...  
A/N: Ch.2 is up. Yay!  
  
"Where are we going?" Clark asked as his father drove down a pitch black, woodsy side street. Mr. Kent sat in tight lipped silence, seething inwardly until he spun the wheel and headed into the woods then screeched to a halt a few feet from the road. "Dad, what..."  
"What the hell were you thinking Clark!?" His father shouted, his loud tone piercing the silence.  
"Dad, I..."  
"I thought you knew better than to tell your secret to people! It's dangerous Clark! Not only for you but for the people you tell!" His father shouted. Headlights were coming up the road towards them. Clark listened closely; he heard gruff barking from the truck headed in their way. His eyes grew wide.  
"Dad, we've gotta go!" He interrupted his father's tirade.  
"Don't interrupt me Clark!"  
"No, Dad," he grasped his father's arm tightly. "We have to get out of here!"  
"Why?" John asked, seeing the panic in his son's eyes.  
"That's Redd Morgan's truck!" Clark exclaimed as the camouflage painted truck screeched to a halt blocking the Kent's exit. A tough, scruffy looking man leaped from his truck and held the door as his two mean looking Doberman's jumped out after him. Redd had a shotgun in his hand as he made his way to the Kent's truck.  
Clark moved gingerly around his mother and opened the door. "Stay in the truck." He muttered, just loud enough for them to hear him, but with enough force for them to know that he meant business.  
"Clark don't!" His mom shouted after him, but it was useless. Clark would go to any lengths to protect them and Redd Morgan was a dangerous man.  
  
"Whatchu doin' on my land, boy?" He asked roughly, running his hand down the handle of his shotgun.  
"We didn't realize we were in your land, Mr. Morgan." Clark said as respectfully as he could.  
"Yer fulla shit boy. Everyone knows this is my land."  
"We're really sorry, we'll leave immediately."  
"You ain't goin' no where." He growled, taking a step forward, Morgan pulled something from his pocket and threw it at Clark and at the same time barked a command at his dogs to attack. Distracted, Clark didn't have time to stop the thing flying at him as he tried to fend off the dogs without hurting them. He felt a prick in his side and he looked down and pulled out the thing. It was a hypodermic needle.  
"What the hell was in this?" He asked as his head spun and he fell to his knees. He threw both the dogs off, knocking them unconscious. Redd howled in anger.  
"I know all about yer powers boy! And now, you won't be able to use 'em. That there's a special medicine. Incapacitates yer abilities for a coupla weeks, at the least, and it gives me the chance to do this." He strode forward and gripped Clark by his neck. Clark fought back with all the human strength he could muster as blood spilled from a tear in his arm where one of the Dobermans had bit him ferociously. Redd threw him back against a tree, pounding Clark's face with his fist. Clark bled from his lip and nose, Redd rammed the back of his head into the tree again and again. Clark's vision swam and he dropped gratefully into unconsciousness.  
"CLARK!!!" His mother screamed and slammed her fist against the truck window as Redd picked Clark up with his bare hands.  
Redd threw Clark with super-human strength into the windshield of the Kent's truck, cracking the glass and spattering Clark's blood across the windshield.  
"CLARK!!" His parents screamed again, his mother sobbing. Clark slid down the windshield, down the hood of the truck, and toppled to the ground. He didn't get up. Redd stood over him, laughing viciously. He grabbed his dogs by the scruffs of their necks, got into his truck, and drove away, his tires squealing.  
John Kent tossed his wife their cell phone and leaped out of the truck. "Martha, call an ambulance!" He shouted over his shoulder as he knelt beside his son. He looked so broken, lying there bleeding and twisted, that John was afraid to even touch him. As it was he clasped his son's hand. "Hold on, son. Hold on." He whispered and squeezed Clark's hand. A few seconds later Martha joined him, tears running unchecked down her cheeks. John pulled her into a tight hug, forcing his tears back as a lump formed in his throat.  
Two minutes later an ambulance and several cop cars screeched to a halt on the road beside them. EMTs rushed over with a stretcher borne between them. The sheriff jumped out of the car nearest them and ran over. "What the hell happened here?" She asked as the one of the EMTs wrapped a brace around Clark's neck then they lifted him gently onto the stretcher and bore him away into the ambulance, calling out stats to one another and inserting an IV in Clark's arm.  
Mr. and Mrs. Kent followed the stretcher as John choked out a hasty explanation. Describing what had happened as best as he could before climbing into the ambulance after his wife. "I'll stop by the hospital to discuss this further at a later time." The sheriff said as the ambulance door was closed and sped away.  
  
"Lana?" Mr. Kent paced outside the hospital building.  
"Mr. Kent? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Lana asked hastily.  
"It's Clark," he choked on his words. Lana's heart stopped.  
"I-is he okay?"  
"No," John whispered. "He was attacked. We-we're at the hospital. Cl- Clark's still in w-with the doctors. I-it's bad, Lana. It's really bad."  
"Oh god," Lana said softly, more to herself than Mr. Kent. "I'll pick up Pete and Chloe and be right over." She lowered the phone slowly onto its receiver. She brushed away a rebellious tear that trickled down her cheek. She picked up her phone and dialed Chloe's number.  
  
Lana caught sight of Clark's family in the waiting room and she and her friends rushed over to them. They each hugged the couple one at a time. As Pete embraced Clark's father, he whispered close to his ear. "What the hell happened out there? Why didn't Clark fight back?"  
"I don't know." John responded sorrowfully. Lana and Chloe comforted Mrs. Kent, though they were all fighting back tears of their own. Lana sat down on one of the hospital's not-so- comfortable plastic chairs, rested her elbows and her knees and laid her face in her hands.  
  
**August 7, 2004  
2:33 AM: 5 hours after the attack  
**  
Lana lay with her head resting on her arm, which was resting on the arm of the hospital chair. Her legs were set on the floor. Her eyes were closed as she lay in a dark, dreamless sleep. Chloe lay with her head on Lana's side and with Pete's on hers. Mr. and Mrs. Kent slept with their heads leaned against the others, hands entwined together on John's leg.  
A doctor appeared around the corner and he walked over to the sleeping group. He coughed politely, hoping that would be enough to wake them. The two adults jumped, the quick movement causing the others to start awake.  
"Mr. and Mrs. Kent?" He inquired.  
"Yes," they replied in unison, standing up quickly.  
"I'm Dr. Brousse." He informed them. "I worked on your son."  
"Please, i-is Clark alright?" Martha asked.  
"It might be best if you sat down."  
"Oh god, no, he's not... He can't be..." Mrs. Kent's knees felt weak and she sank into the nearest chair.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED....

A/N: Is he alive? Review to find out...


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Yeah, I own nothing...what of it? STOP RUBBING IT IN!! ::sobs::

A/N: Whoo! Chapter 3! Okay, show of hands, who's been waiting expectantly for me to update and find out what happened to Clark?

"Oh god, no, he's not... He can't be..." Mrs. Kent's knees felt weak and she sank into the nearest chair.  
Lana's heart froze in her chest; she crushed Chloe's hand in hers. Chloe winced, but couldn't complain, since she was doing the same to her.  
"No, he's alive. It was touch and go for awhile, there was a lot of damage to his lungs and kidneys. He had a lot of internal bleeding," Mrs. Kent's eyes grew wide with horror. The doctor continued hastily, "We've stopped all internal bleeding, stitched him up inside and out."  
"But?" Lana asked when he paused.  
"But all of the ribs on his left side are broken, as are three ribs on his right, one of which had punctured his lung. His right wrist and collarbone were fractured. Plus, with the extensive head trauma and blood loss," He paused and took a deep breath. "Clark has slipped into a coma."  
  
They were lost for words. They just stood there, staring at him in disbelief. Chloe was the first to recover her voice, and when she spoke it seemed to shake the others out of their shocked silence. "C- can we... um... go see him?" She asked quietly, frowning slightly.  
"Sure," he replied gently. "You can go in whenever you're ready. But I should warn you, it's not a pretty sight." Chloe nodded as the doctor told them Clark's room number then turned and walked away in gloomy silence. Mr. Kent excused himself for a moment, saying that he had forgotten to call Lex.  
  
"This can't be happening." Lana murmured, pacing for a few seconds then sitting on the edge of a chair, placed her face in her slender hands and began to cry. Chloe crouched before her, tears forming in her eyes. She pulled Lana's hands away from her face. Their eyes met, "Chloe," Lana sobbed, and threw her arms around her friend's neck and cried into her shoulder. Chloe laid her head on Lana's shoulder, trying to comfort her with quiet soothing noises and gentle stokes down her back, but eventually she broke and began to cry too. They heard Mrs. Kent crying behind them and Pete and Mr. Kent's voices, hoarse with restrained tears, trying to console her. Chloe pulled Lana up and they joined the others in a tight group hug, the women still crying loudly and the men letting slow silent droplets fall from pain filled eyes.  
  
They entered the little room in near silence, only broken by the occasional sniff or quiet sob. Lana turned quickly from the sight before her, leaning into the gentle arms that Chloe put around her. Chloe shut her eyes tightly, not wanting to see anymore, but unable to get the image of Clark, bloody, broken, still, and ghostly pale, out of her head. "Oh God," Chloe whispered. Lana squeezed her eyes shut, took a deep, shaky breath, then reopened her red-rimmed eyes. Mrs. Kent sat by the bed, stroking Clark's uninjured hand, running her fingers over the IV taped in place there. Tears fell onto his pale hand, glistening brightly before being wiped away by her hand. Mr. Kent laid his hand on Clark's head, brushing his thumb gently over his forehead, effectively getting Clark's disheveled hair out of his face.  
Lana, Chloe, and Pete pulled chairs up against the walls and sat down. Lana covered her face with her hands and laid her head on Chloe's shoulder. A tense silence ensued.  
  
August 7, 2004  
4: 45 AM  
  
Lex walked into the room, dreading what he was about to see. He was not disappointed. He shut his eyes at the sight, grimacing. A moment later they reopened and he came further inside, shaking hands with Mr. Kent and Pete and hugging the girls.  
"Sorry it took me so long. I was spending the week in Metropolis to attend a series of board meetings in my fathers place; otherwise I would have been here sooner." He paused, "How's he doing?" Mr. Kent's eyes dropped to the floor.  
"Not so good, Lex," His eyes meeting Lex's pale ones. Lex sighed heavily and sat on the edge of the only empty chair in the room.  
"Is there anything I can do to help?" He asked.  
"No, we just have to wait, and hope."  
  
August 9, 2004  
Two days later...  
  
"Mrs. Kent?" Dr. Brousse tapped gently on the door frame. Martha started and looked over at him, her eyes hooded and dark.  
"Yes, doctor?" She asked and her voice was hoarse.  
"Is Mr. Kent around?"  
"No, he went to get some food with the girls, Pete's in the bathroom, and Lex went with John. But they should be back in a minute. Why?"  
"I had something I wanted to tell you that I found rather disturbing, but I'll wait for them to get back." He replied vaguely, checking monitors and IV drips, making short notes on his pad of paper and clipboard.  
  
Pete walked into the room, looking tired, and a few minutes later Mr. Kent, Lex, Chloe, and Lana followed, carrying coffees and bagels for everyone. John looked at the doctor in surprise, catching Martha's eye questioningly. She shrugged and cleared her throat, effectively getting Dr. Brousse's attention.  
"We're all here. What's the big news?" She asked.  
"Well, not exactly big, but certainly strange." Martha raised an irritated eyebrow at him. He cleared his throat, "We found a trace of an unusual toxin in his system. We're not quite sure what it is yet, but we're running some more tests. I think this toxin may be disabling his body's ability to heal itself, clotting wounds, stopping bleeding and things like that. This may explain why the wounds that weren't deep enough to stitch haven't stopped bleeding yet. But, like I said, we'll have to run some more extensive tests."  
"O-okay," John replied. Dr. Brousse nodded cordially then left the room without another word. Pete dragged Mr. Kent out into the hall for a moment.  
  
"Do you think that's why Clark hasn't used his abilities to heal himself yet?" Pete asked.  
"It's possible," John frowned as a sudden thought struck him. "I wonder if that's why he didn't fight back when Redd attacked him. Maybe this toxin doesn't just stop the healing process; maybe it disables his other abilities too." The two exchanged a scared look as the truth of that statement struck them. "Maybe that's why he didn't fight back. Maybe he couldn't."  
"I think that's exactly what happened," Pete replied. "Oh boy, this just got very bad, very fast. If Morgan knows about Clark's abilities..." His voice trailed off, the prospect was just too terrible to voice.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: Okay, I want at least six reviews, so get to it faithful readers of mine. Thanks loads for your nice words and for reading my fic. Loads of love. Saph


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah...I own nothing...stop rubbing it in...

A/N: Thank you SOOOOOOOOOO much for all the reviews, though I got some that said I shouldn't blackmail...and they're right...so...I'll stop...I like my fic. So, yeah... Here's the next chapter.

**August 18, 2004  
**  
Lana sat alone in the room at Clark's bedside. She clasped his hand gently in hers, kissing his fingers softly. "Clark," she whispered. "I'm scared, I'm so scared Clark. I don't want to lose you. I can't lose you. It'd break my heart. I love you, Clark. I never stopped loving you. God, I hope you know that. We're all so worried about you, Clark. You're their only son, they love you so much. You can't leave us Clark, you just can't. We need you, Clark. I need you. Please come back to me, to us." She kissed his hand again the laid a gentle kiss on his forehead.  
  
**September 12, 2004  
**  
Lana walked in with coffee for everyone, doling it out according to who ordered what. "Thanks for going all the way to the Talon for coffee, Lana. We know you didn't really want to leave."  
"It's no problem, Mrs. Kent; I was getting tired of this hospital crap too." She smiled grimly, "and lunch will be provided by the Talon also. I can't eat any more would-be food."  
"Tell me about it," John grimaced.  
"Are you sure Lana? We can pay you," Martha said.  
"Don't you dare." Lana interrupted her. "I'm happy to provide real food."  
"Thank you," Mrs. Kent said appreciatively, hugging her in a motherly fashion.  
"Yeah, thanks Lana." Chloe chimed in smiling. "The food here is nasty. How did you survive Mr. Kent?"  
"I pretended it was home cooked food while I was eating it." He replied, smiling at Martha.  
'Did it work?" Lex asked.  
"No, but it was a nice thought." They laughed for what was probably the first time since the accident. Lana glanced at Clark's prone form guiltily. Martha caught her gaze and smiled gently, laying a hand on her shoulder.  
"Don't feel guilty. Clark wouldn't want everyone moping about on his account. He'd want us to try and be cheerful."  
"I'm trying, I really am. I just... miss him." She whispered the last two words, looking at her shoes. "I miss his smile, and his laugh, and his voice." Her eyes welled with tears and her throat tightened. Mrs. Kent hugged her gently.  
"So do I."  
"So do we all." Pete said. The happy moment was over as reality set back in. The doctor, with perfect timing as always, walked in.  
"Good evening everyone." He said.  
"Hi," they replied, kind of coldly.  
"I came to talk to you about Clark."  
"What about him?" John asked icily.  
"His condition isn't getting much better." Dr. Brousse replied. "It's improved a little bit, but nothing significant. I'm afraid you may have to face the possibility that Clark may be gone."  
A tear ran down Lana's cheek. "Get out," she said harshly. The doctor looked at her in disbelief. "You heard me, get out. I won't accept that Clark may be gone. I won't. Get out, and don't come back unless you have good news." The doctor hesitated. "OUT!" Lana exclaimed shrilly, pointing her finger towards the door to help the apparently thickheaded doctor get the point. As soon as he was gone the others turned to her in awe....  
"Way to go, Lana!" Chloe exclaimed. Lana sank to the floor weakly, laying her forehead on her knees, shutting her eyes, and breathing heavily. Chloe sat down beside her, wrapping her in her arms. Lana leaned against Chloe's chest, laying her head on Chloe's shoulder.  
"I'm sorry," Lana muttered, looking apologetically at the others. "I didn't mean to kill the happy karma.  
"It's okay, Lana, really." Mrs. Kent replied. "We miss him too. She brushed her hand over Clark's forehead lovingly.  
  
**October 23, 2004  
**  
Lana lay with her head on the edge of Clark's bed, her hand loosely enveloping his. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was even and steady, but her eyes flickered back and forth madly behind her closed eyelids. Caught in fevered dreams of fire, tornadoes, guns; all things that Clark had saved her from, and yet he wasn't there. She heard his voice, calling to her for help. She tried to find him, but in the chaos churning around her, his voice sounded thin and far away. She saw things that couldn't be real: flashes of him picking up a truck and tossing it several hundred yards, lifting an entire house off its foundation, shooting heat rays from his eyes, running so fast he was little more than a blur, stopping bullets with his unprotected body. She shook her head and concentrated on his voice, following it as best she could until suddenly she froze in fear. There, in what seemed to be infinite darkness, sat Clark. His skin was pale, almost translucent, his eyes were scared and lost, his arms lay limply in his lap and his head was hung. He lifted his face, perfectly sculpted features seeming fuzzy and undefined; he met her eyes with his dull, frightened ones, though he looked as though he could not see that she was even there. _Lana_, he called out to her, not in spoken words but the thought echoed through her mind. _Lana help me_, he reached out to her mentally. _I'm lost Lana. I can't get out. It's so dark here. So lonely. I'm afraid, Lana. Why can't I see you?_  
Lana woke with a start, beads of cold sweat poured down her forehead and neck. She was breathing heavily; her fingers were tangled in the bed sheets by Clark's hand. She sat bolt upright, staring at Clark intently. It couldn't be true, she thought. Clark can't really have done all those things. Heat vision, I mean, come on. And yet, there was some enlightening truth to the thought. She frowned.  
At that moment, Mr. Kent came up behind her, laying a hand on her still-heaving shoulder. She jumped; he looked at her in concern, "Are you alright, Lana?"  
"Yeah," she replied. "Yeah, it's just... I had the weirdest dream." She hesitated. Aw, the hell with it, she thought. "This is going to sound really strange but... um...Mr. Kent, does Clark have special powers?" She asked hastily. He looked slightly taken aback, but not entirely surprised by the question.  
"Yes," he said simply. "I assume that's what you dreamed about?" She nodded. "He was planning on telling you, the night of the attack, but we stopped him, fearing that it would put you both in danger. So we drove him out to the woods, where I started to yell." He paused, looking absolutely distraught. "It was my fault we were out there. None of this would have happened if it weren't for me." His voice broke and a rebellious tear ran a ragged course down his cheek. Lana rushed over and hugged him.  
"It's not your fault. Redd Morgan is completely insane. You had no way of knowing what would happen. You can't blame yourself. Clark wouldn't want that."  
"I may never know what Clark would want even again." He choked out.  
"You can't think like that! He'll come back to us." She said hastily. "He has to," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.  
"Will you tell me about your dream?" He asked, pulling out of her gentle embrace. She nodded.  
"It was so strange. It was flashed of all the time that Clark has saved me. The tornado, the fire not that long ago, Adam, when he tried to shoot me. But I saw it in a different way. Like from the outside looking in. I saw all the things that I hadn't seen before. Like, exactly how he managed to save me. It all makes sense now. All those amazing rescues, I get how he did it now." She got a far away look in her eyes, before shaking herself back into the present.  
"Anyways, I could hear him. I could hear Clark calling out to me. I followed his voice, but it wasn't like he was saying it out loud. It was more like it was in my head. So I followed it. And at the end of this really dark... something... it was more like a pitch black nothing, really, not that that makes sense. I could see him there. He was pale, and he looked... I don't know, blurry. Like his body didn't have distinct edges, they just kind of, trailed off into nothingness. He called out to me in my mind. He told me he was lost and scared. That it was dark where he was, that it was lonely. He said that was trapped, that he couldn't get out and that he couldn't see me." A tear ran down her cheek. "He sounded so... afraid. I've never heard him sound like that before." She let the tears run freely, covering her face with her hands. Mr. Kent put an arm around her shoulders, making soothing noises and rocking her gently in his arms. She buried her face in his shoulder. "I didn't know how to help him." She sobbed. He hushed her gently.  
"Maybe you weren't allowed to. Maybe he has to find his way back on his own." She nodded, but continued to cry.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: Okay, I won't blackmail you for reviews anymore. I just like getting them... Anyways, I like my fics and that's all that should really matter...I just like knowing what you think. So, pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease review...please. No blackmail, no threats of not updating just...you know...me aking you veryvery nicely. Thanks. Saph


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Yeah yeah, I know...not mine...meh...

A/N: Only one or two more chapteres to go!! I'm still deciding if I want to make it into two seperate chapters...hm...

**November 8, 2004**  
  
Dr. Brousse came into the room, not daring to meet anyone's eyes, checked Clark's vitals quickly, and then left without a word. Chloe smirked.  
"I think you scare him Lana."  
"Good," she replied with a small smile. Lex came into the room then, looking back over his shoulder at the doctor's hastily retreating back.  
"I thought you told him not to come back?" He said with a smile.  
"I did, but I guess he still has to check vitals and stuff. Too bad, though. I'd really like to yell at him some more." She chuckled.  
Mr. and Mrs. Kent came in, looking at the three friends in surprise. Mrs. Kent glanced at her watch, seeing that it was only 8:45. "You guys are here early. Where's Pete?"  
"Yeah, we are rather early today, aren't we?" Chloe smiled. "Lana picked me up and Lex just got here a few seconds ago. Pete's doing a father- son thing today."  
"Lucky him," Lana smiled.  
"I'm glad my father isn't big on father-son occasions. I think I'd die." Lex shuddered. They laughed.  
  
That night Lana dreamed again, but this time she headed straight to the place where she'd found Clark over two weeks ago. There he sat; looking slimmer, and paler, if that were at all possible. _"Clark,"_ Lana reached out to him with her mind. His head shot up.  
_Lana is that you?_ He asked, squinting at her. She took a couple of hesitant steps towards him, into the darkness. _DON'T!_ He cried out, she took a step back, startled. _You'll get trapped too!_ She reached her hand out to him.  
"Take my hand Clark, we're gonna get out of here." She took another step forward, resisting the darkness' pulling of her to the center of the dark place. He got to his knees slowly, then up onto his feet, steadying himself with his hands on the ground. He tried to take a step forward but was yanked back down by an unseen force.  
_I can't Lana. I've tried.  
_ "Try harder Clark!" She exclaimed, taking another small step towards him, knowing that if she went any further she would get sucked in as well. He nodded and got slowly to the position he was in before. "That's it, come one." He took a tiny step forward, then another. Lana smiled. "Good, come on Clark." He took another hesitant step, reaching out his hand to grab hers. Just as their fingers were about to touch he was ripped backward and hauled back, just a little closer than he was before. _"CLARK!"_ Lana screamed when he was pulled back.  
  
Lana woke with a start. She broke into uncontrollable sobs. Mr. Kent rushed over and held her in his arms as she shook with tears.  
"What is it? What happened?" He asked her.  
"I w-was s-so close," she sobbed. "I almost h-had him! God, I was s- so c-close." She sobbed harder, unable to speak anymore. Mr. Kent understood. She'd had another dream and she'd tried to save him, but she was stopped by something. Something was keeping his son from them. He hushed her gently, stroking her hair and back comfortingly. The others slept on.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: I know, I know, this chapter is rather short. Sorry. I just feel this is an approprate place to end it. I;m trying to decide if I wanna make a big four page last chapter or seperate it into two parts...I might just drag it out to irritate people...j/k. I love you guys. Also, you'll find out in the next chap where this fic gets its name. K. Review please and thank you. Saph


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing...too bad, otherwise Lana & Clark would SO be together...stupid writers...I'M KIDDING!!! I love you guys!!!  
  
A/N: LAST CHAPTER!!!!! ::sniffle:: It makes me so sad...Thank you all soooo much for reviewing! I hope to get tons of reviews letting me know if you liked the ending. I figured a cliff hanger was a good way to set up for the sequel. And there has to be a sequel, ne? I mean, absolutely nothing was resolved about Redd Morgan in this story at all, right? So, if you've got any ideas for the sequel, let me know. I've got a mini-writer's-block right now and I need to write it. So, let me know, yeah?  
  
**CHRISTMAS DAY, 2004  
2:45 AM  
**  
Clark heard a noise and he looked up slowly, expecting to see Lana, but getting quite the surprise. There before him stood a man, tall, wiry, and bearded, clad all in white, a slight glow was about him. _Who are you?_ He asked hesitantly. _What are you doing here?_

"Granting a Christmas prayer for someone who loves you very much." The man responded. A cold wind suddenly ripped through the air. A furious roar shattered the silence.

_"YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE! YOU CANNOT HAVE THE BOY!!"_ An angry, evil voice resonated through the air. "

And you may not keep him." The man responded calmly. "You have no power over me Lichtonsine (A/N: Pronounced Lick-tone-seen), as you very well know." He raised an open palm before him and a bright white light flashed and the dark slowly receded around our young hero, leaving him blinking in its impending brilliance, shivering still despite the new glow that surrounded him, eyes focused upon the ground. "Ah, Lana, welcome." The bright man said with a laugh in his voice.

Lana had fallen asleep at Clark's side shortly after excusing herself from the dinner table early and going back to the room. She had now been dropped upon unsteady feet in a world that was familiar, yet so very different from the place she had last found her self in. Clark sat cross-legged upon the ground, as usual, but before him stood a man robed in white and smiling, who greeted her like an old friend.

The surrounding area that had once been so bleak and dark was filled with light and life. Green grasses had spread from beneath Clark and covered the ground, flowers of inconceivable colors and shapes sprouted in clusters and singularly all around them. Trees flourished and light shone on everything and heat from an unseen force warmed her. A huge butterfly fluttered past with wings of gold and blue and purple. A chipmunk chased its mate around the trunk of an apple tree. Lana laid curious eyes on the mysterious man who spoke to her.

"What happened? It's so different." She said, taking a hesitant step forward. Clark still had his head bowed. "Clark?"

"The evil that kept him captive is gone, Clark is free. Go to him Lana."

Lana needed no second bidding, she ran to Clark's side and knelt before his, laying a gentle hand n his cheek. He raised his face to her and his eyes shone with some of their old brilliance. She smiled at him and after a few second he smiled back, face brightening and his shivering ceased. She threw her arms around him and held him close and he put his arms around her small back and held on as if he'd never let go.

"Wish granted, Lana, good bye," the man said and Lana whipped around.

"Wait!" She exclaimed and he stopped, mid-turn.

"Yes," he smiled.

"Who are you, how did you know about my-?"

"I know of all prayers. I am Andre, your guardian angel. Christmas prayers are the most frequently answered ones of all, but yours stuck out. You asked for nothing for yourself, nothing in return. You were willing to give up all, forsake any and all things that you would have received, to get back the man you loved. Wish granted, good bye Lana Lang, and remember, I will always be with you. Always," and with a smile to Clark he extended his hands and they took them and were instantly enveloped in his blinding white light.  
  
**CHRISTMAS DAY, 2004  
3: 13 AM **

Lana lay with her head on the edge of the hospital bed, her hand gently resting over Clark's. His hand moved slightly and she woke with a start. "Clark?" She whispered, gazing at his face intently. His eyes moved behind their lids and his hand moved again. She saw his eyelids flicker, trying to open. "Clark?" She whispered again, clasping his moving hand, overwhelming emotion choked her voice. His eyes fluttered open, and he took a deep breath, glancing around looking slightly bewildered before his gaze fell upon Lana.

"Lana," he breathed, a weak smile forming on the edges of his mouth.

"Clark!" She exclaimed quietly and threw herself onto him. "Oh God, Clark, I was so afraid!" He put his arms around her gently, holding her as her body shook with tears. She pulled away quickly, "Oh my God, your parents! MR. AND MRS. KENT! CHLOE, PETE, LEX! WAKE UP! HURRY!" She cried put then burst into tears again, burying her face in Clark's shoulder, squeezing his hand.

"What is it Lana?!" John asked in alarm.

"Look," she whispered, sitting back to give them a clearer view of Clark, who held Lana's hand in his.

"CLARK!" Mrs. Kent exclaimed, tears of joy running from her eyes, she ran to his bed side and hugged him tightly. "Oh, Clark I thought I'd lost you." She sobbed. Lana moved back to stand beside a crying Chloe, giving John access to his son's bedside. He smiled gratefully through his tears and hugged his son. Chloe and Lana held onto each other as they cried and Lex and Pete came over and hugged them too. Pete shed silent tears, as he hugged Chloe, Lex looked as if he wanted to, but years of practicing at hiding his emotions had rendered him unable to do so. As it was he held Lana to him, unable to speak, allowing her to lean on him, as she felt that her knees were about to give out. Lana glanced upward, thank you Andre, thank you, she mouthed. It could have been her imagination but she could've sworn that the angel on top of their tree glowed a little bit brighter for a moment. As if to add to the miracle at work, the intercom system began to blare a song over the speakers. Lana smiled at the words.

_I don't want that much for Christmas  
There is just one thing I need.  
I don't care about the presents  
Underneath the Christmas tree.  
I just want you for my own.  
More than you will ever know.  
Make my wish come true.  
Baby, all I want for Christmas is you.  
  
_ She moved over to Clark, "I got exactly what I asked for." She whispered, kissing him, even in front of all the others. They whistled and made joking little cat calls. She looked at John and Martha beseechingly. "Can I have a minute alone with Clark, please? I mean, I know he just woke up and everything, but..." She spoke quickly; Mr. Kent raised a hand to silence her.  
"It's okay Lana. Come on you guys, let's give them a minute." He beckoned the others out into the hallway. He turned back, framed in the doorway. "Just a minute. Make it worth while." Lana smiled at him as he winked and closed the door behind him.  
Lana perched on the edge of Clark's bed, holding his hand gently, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I missed you Clark." She whispered, allowing a tear to wind its way down her cheek.  
"You tried to save me," Clark told her, frowning slightly. "From the darkness. I remember. You tried to save me." Lana nodded.  
"I failed," she whispered, looking down at her hands. Clark curled a finger under her chin, raising her head up until their eyes met.  
"You could never fail me. Never," he whispered, bringing her down to kiss her deeply. Lana broke the kiss gently, meeting his warm brown eyes.  
"I asked the others to leave so I could tell you something. Something I should have told you every day." She paused, taking a shaky breath. "I love you, Clark. I never stopped loving you. Even after all the stuff that happened, no matter how hard I tried to make it go away. And when this happened... God, I was so afraid that I'd never see you smile again, or hear you laugh... or tell you how much you mean to me. There were times over these past four months where I really thought I'd lost you. And it hurt..." She paused again, taking a breathy sob, letting the tears flow freely down her face. "It hurt my heart. And my soul. To the point where I didn't think I could bear it." Clark squeezed her hand gently, eyes shining with tears. "You can't ever leave me again." She sobbed. Clark pulled her into a tight hug, stroking her hair and making soothing noises in her ear.  
"I won't," He whispered to her, tears rolling down his cheeks.  
"Promise," she said through her tears.  
"I promise. I love you Lana Lang." He kissed her gently, brushing her tears away with his thumbs, running his hands over her cheeks. "I love you more than anything." He kissed her again. She met his eyes, looking at him with a mischievous shine in her eyes. "What?" He frowned, and then raised an eyebrow at her.  
"We know," she said slyly.  
"Know what?" He asked suspiciously.  
"About you abilities," She replied, grinning at his shocked expression.  
"What? How?" He stammered, unable to produce complete thoughts.  
"I kind of figured it out from my dreams. And when I asked your dad, he told me the truth. And then he and your mom decided it was time that your other friends knew."  
"Even Lex?" He asked in surprise. His dad actually told Lex Luther about his abilities. Wow.

"Even Lex," she replied.

"Wow," he said, eyes wide in surprise. "Well, that takes a huge load off my chest." He grinned, hugging her lovingly. His family and friends came back in then, smiling so much they're faces started to hurt, but they couldn't stop.  
  
"Let's open gifts, shall we?" Mrs. Kent suggested with a smile after Clark had been examined by his doctor and proclaimed completely free of danger of relapsing into his coma.

"Awesome idea, Mrs. Kent," Chloe exclaimed and raced over to their little tree, doling out gifts for everyone, including Clark, whom people had bought things for even though he hadn't woken yet. The opened them amidst huge grins and lots of laughter.  
  
**DECEMBER 26, 2004  
2:38 PM**

The next day, after a few hours of sleep after their urgent wake up call at three o'clock, the group of family and friends sat around Clark's bed talking and laughing, enjoying Clark's return to the waking world, free of demons and shadows. Suddenly Pete's face turned serious. Clark was the first to notice his expression, noting the frown lines creasing his brow as he silently pondered something.  
"What is it Pete?" Clark asked in concern.  
"I hate to be the kill-joy, but I've been thinkin'. Guys, what're we gonna do about Redd Morgan?" The smiles fell from their faces.  
  
_TO BE CONTINUED..._  
_This is the end of the part, but not the end of the story..._

A/N: Again thank you all SOOOO veryveryveryvery much for reviewing. You're amazing. Please feel free to read my other fics and stay tuned for the sequel, which needs a less corny name than Redd Morgan, so any suggestions for that would be much appreciated. The back slashes plus ur name are the number of chapters you reviewed. Special thanks to those people.

Pupulegirl- Thanks much! Hope you'll look for the sequel! Supergrl11- Thank you soo much for reviewing so much! Tomwellinglvr- You rock! Stay tuned!

marymellon3-You reviewed all of my chapters! I love you! MANY THANKS!!  
  
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Angel, Nina, Meda, Agranta, ForeverTom, rayray, lanaxlang, Shattered- Spirit, and Nightwing 509- EVEN THOUGH YOU ALL ONLY REVIEWED ONCE I LOVE YOU ANYWAYS AND APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR KIND WORDS AND APPROVAL!! THANK YOU!!

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smallville fan- Thanks for all the reviews!!!  
  
brennan mulwray/- Hey, thanks for reading something other than just my MX fics!! It rocks that you liked my work so much you'd read some of my other stuff! Thanks much!!  
  
It's been soo much fun writing this fic and receiving all of your amazing reviews! I love you all and I thank you from the depths of my soul! Thank you and I hope you read some of my other works, which I'm also very proud of. Thanks again and I hope you check in for the sequel, coming as soon as my muses come back from their vacation. Lol... Thanks again and again and again. Much love Saph


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